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shane_the_reading_rat's reviews
1023 reviews
A Gift for a Ghost by Borja González
2.5
objectively this was fine, just very very confusing. you might like it, but im just not really a “vibes with no plot” kind of guy. the art is gorgeous though, and i love the body language of the characters
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
4.5
i really loved this!! as someone who plans to major in zoology, this book gave me a lot to think about surrounding humans and nature. particularly the idea that the answer to helping nature is not always to just leave it alone, that nature and humans can coexist and ultimately have a sort of symbiosis (which makes sense, since indigenous people have been existing alongside the rest of nature for an incredibly long time!! it’s just something that never occurred to me until reading this).
this also puts into a lot more context for me what happened in Polynesia earlier this year, when whales were officially recognized as legal persons. back when i found out about that i was confused but supportive, and now i think i understand it much better than i did then.
this also puts into a lot more context for me what happened in Polynesia earlier this year, when whales were officially recognized as legal persons. back when i found out about that i was confused but supportive, and now i think i understand it much better than i did then.
Patriot by Alexei Navalny
5.0
reading this felt a lot like when i read chelsea manning’s memoir last year. god some people are just incredibly brave.
this is a pretty sad book to read, knowing how alexei navalny’s life ended. especially with how optimistic he was throughout the majority of it.
this book is very very good
this is a pretty sad book to read, knowing how alexei navalny’s life ended. especially with how optimistic he was throughout the majority of it.
this book is very very good
Cactus Country: A Boyhood Memoir by Zoë Bossiere
4.0
really liked this :) felt a little more like an essay collection rather than one cohesive memoir, but it was really good
Loving, Ohio by Matthew Erman
2.5
this book really just did not click with me.
i like the horror bits themselves, and the use of color was beautiful, but plot-wise i have so many questions: if this is supposed to be about religious extremism/cults, and cults notoriously are pretty restrictive about random things, where are the restrictions?? if this is partially based off of conservative christianity (which it seems to be, aside from the new age stuff), then why are the girls allowed to wear jeans? why are they allowed to have sleepovers at male friend’s houses? why is elliot allowed to be openly trans? it just genuinely doesn’t feel that cult-y except for the sections of this book where they are literally at the church. also, WHY ARE NO PARENTS ACTUALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LARGE AMOUNTS OF TEENS DISAPPEARING OR BEING MURDERED??? WHY DO THEY LET THEIR KIDS JUST RUN AMOK ALL NIGHT WHEREVER WHEN LOVING OHIO TEENS JUST KEEP FUCKING VANISHING?????
more questions: what makes these teens so special that they realize theyre all in a cult, and seemingly fully know this before the book has started?? do other teens know this or is it just them?? wouldnt their parents try and isolate them from other views so that they’d stay?? where are their internet restrictions?? why are they allowed to have smart phones??? genuinely the most questions for a book i have basically ever had
i like the horror bits themselves, and the use of color was beautiful, but plot-wise i have so many questions: if this is supposed to be about religious extremism/cults, and cults notoriously are pretty restrictive about random things, where are the restrictions?? if this is partially based off of conservative christianity (which it seems to be, aside from the new age stuff), then why are the girls allowed to wear jeans? why are they allowed to have sleepovers at male friend’s houses? why is elliot allowed to be openly trans? it just genuinely doesn’t feel that cult-y except for the sections of this book where they are literally at the church. also, WHY ARE NO PARENTS ACTUALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LARGE AMOUNTS OF TEENS DISAPPEARING OR BEING MURDERED??? WHY DO THEY LET THEIR KIDS JUST RUN AMOK ALL NIGHT WHEREVER WHEN LOVING OHIO TEENS JUST KEEP FUCKING VANISHING?????
more questions: what makes these teens so special that they realize theyre all in a cult, and seemingly fully know this before the book has started?? do other teens know this or is it just them?? wouldnt their parents try and isolate them from other views so that they’d stay?? where are their internet restrictions?? why are they allowed to have smart phones??? genuinely the most questions for a book i have basically ever had
The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty
5.0
genuinely this is everything i could have ever wanted out of a book about pirates. seafaring !! monsters !! queer people and found family (INCLUDING A TRANSMACULINE CHARACTER YEAHHHH)!!! an incredible protagonist !!!
this took me so long to get through but it was absolutely worth it, idk how i can even wait until the sequel gets published
this took me so long to get through but it was absolutely worth it, idk how i can even wait until the sequel gets published